Grain-free French Onion Soup–sounds counterintuitive, but trust me it will satisfy your comfort cravings while on a Whole30 or Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Paleo diet.
Remember, both Whole30 and AIP are short-term dietary programs meant to help reset your body so you can identify food intolerances and allergens. You can always come back to this recipe and add that French Baguette to your re-introduction phase. However, for now, let me blow your mind because you will be surprised at how close this recipe gets to your restaurant French Onion Soup.
If you’re like me, I love caramelized onions. Forget the onion breathe, just think for a second that sweet umami aroma seeping around your house as you patiently sauté onions till it brown and become translucent. That my friend is what I call comfort.
What is the key to a good broth?
Don’t just use store-bought beef broth (now say that tongue twister 3x fast). Make sure to use grass-fed beef broth to stay within Paleo guidelines. I have mixed in beef bone broth soup for more nutritional benefits. However, it does not just end there. I recommend boiling broth on a separate pot with some vegetables and herbs like carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Get creative! I’ve experimented with and added dandelion leaves in the past. Although there was a hint of bitterness after it, I was still able to adjust the flavor of the broth by adding in the seasonings to blend it all together. I was inspired after reading Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat and wanted to use what I learned to test.
How to Make French Onion Soup Paleo, Whole30, and AIP:
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Eliminate Grains – omit French Baguette and use Tapioca Flour instead of All Purpose Flour.
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Eliminate Dairy – I know Gruyere and Mozzarella sounds fantastic right now, but this AIP Mozzarella Cheese is awesome for this soup. If you’re short on time, I used this nondairy Vevan Mozza Cheese Shreds from Sprouts.
- Once you are on the re-introduction phase and learned you are lactose intolerant, this Vegan Mozzarella Shreds from Violife is my favorite. Although it is nondairy, it is not quite AIP or Whole30-approved.
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Eliminate Sweeteners – do not add sugar and allow the onions to caramelize on their own. Also, use Red Boat Fish Sauce instead of traditional fish sauce to avoid sugar.
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Eliminate Legumes – use Coconut Aminos instead of soy sauce.
French Onion Soup (Paleo, Whole30, AIP)
Ingredients
- 2-32 oz. beef broth or combination of beef and bone broth
- 5 lbs yellow onions
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tbsp black peppercorn
- 1 cup parsley
- 2 thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 cup carrots
- 1 cup celery
- 1 whole garlic
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or ghee butter
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 6 tbsp coconut aminos
- AIP mozzarella cheese or vegan cheese
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Broth
- On a large pot, boil the beef and bone broth with black peppercorn, parsley, thyme, bay leave, carrots, celery, and garlic for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice the onions and heat the dutch oven on low.
- Melt ghee butter or heat avocado oil before adding onions. Sauté onions on low-medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Add tapioca starch to the onions and mix well.
- Take 3/4 cup of the boiling broth and add onto the onions. Scrape the bits and stir for a minute.
- Drain the broth into the dutch oven with a mesh strainer.
- Season the broth with fish sauce, coconut aminos, and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Turn on the oven to broil.
- Layer soup with AIP mozzarella cheese or vegan cheese.
- Broil for 5 minutes until cheese melts.
- Let it cool and serve.
